Andrew
by Spring88
Summary: Emily has a new boyfriend and Derek seem having jealousy problems with him... - First Multi-chapter story - Morgan/Prentiss with the team - Some language - Genre: principally Friendship, but I planned changes... I'm sorry if the summary sucks
1. Chapter 1

_I hope you will enjoy it..._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1:<strong>

Emily Prentiss was always been a strong and independent woman. She had no other choise, she knew from her childhood that had to rely only on herself. Growing up, this situation has not changed.

In fact, she never felt the need to be romantically linked with a man to feel fulfilled. For that she had her work which, though it wasn't one of the happier and joyful jobs in the world, it makes her feel like she could make a little difference.

Sure, she would have liked to have someone waiting for her to return home, someone who didn't have four legs and a tail, but Emily Prentiss has always known how to satisfy herself and she was sure that she had nothing to complain about...or, at least, she believed...until Andrew Baltazar has entered her life.

They were dating by a couple of months, but, for Emily, things had never been so great to.

Andrew was a manager with his part of notoriety, often forced to travel in the other States for his work, going frequently in Arkansas, Mississipi and Georgia. Because of their jobs, the moments that they spent together in Virginia were few, but in those days he knew how atone his absences.

Everyone could easily see the beneficial effects of her new relationship in the entusiasm with which she faced her days, although none of the team had met in person the guy she talked about. All her colleagues were glad for her, the only one who harbored resentments about that was Derek Morgan, not even he knew the reason why he couldn't be happy for his patner, he loved see her smiling, he adored see that spark in her eyes, probabily he was just jealous that he wasn't the maker of her own happiness.

One night, before the team left the Bureau to come back to their lives, Garcia proposed an evening all together:

"Come on my loves, we don't spend much time together...and when we do, we are surrounded by victims and murderers so, please, it's just a dinner...or, if you don't want to talk, we can go to the cinema! But, please, let's do something funny all together...and if you don't accept, you will find yourself inundated with so many cases that will regret this refusal and..."

"Ok, it's enough baby-girl..." Morgan interrupted her speech "...I'm in!"

"Me too" Rossi joined himself and so on the other team members

"I'm so proud of you!" Garcia said happily "And, if you want, you can bring your boyfriends and girlfriends...so as we can finally meet Andrew" she ended glancing at Prentiss

"Guys, I don't know if he wants to come, we are dating only a few weeks...and then he could be away for work" she said quickly, nervous about being the center of attention

"Ok, first of all you don't have any reason to be so agitated, you're not submitting Andrew to your mother..." Penelope said to Emily, trying to calm her down and to convince her, of course "...and then, we haven't decided on the day yet, he could also be free from his commitments"

"Alright, I'll ask him, but if he doesn't want to come I can't force him"

"Don't worry, if we see you coming alone we star thinking you are jealous and you don't want us to know him" JJ joked

"Or we could start thinking that Andrew is a figment of your imagination" Morgan added, immediately regretting having said it out loud

"Very funny, Morgan!" Prentiss said, without fun in her voice.

Soon after, the Agents reached an agreement and, after agreeing to see each other the next night, everyone returned to their own homes.

When Emily opened her apartment door, she found Andrew waiting for her.

As soon as he saw her, he ended his phone call and he went to meet her with a bouquet of roses to give her the kiss of welcome back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked surprised when they broke apart

"Why? Are you not happy to see me?"

"Yes, I am for sure! But do not expect you until tomorrow morning..."

"Yeah, I had to go back tomorrow but luckily my meeting in Hattiesburg wetter better than I planned so I hastened to leave Mississippi to see you as soon as possible..." Andrew explained

"This is fabulous! I was just about to ask you something..."

"Should I be worried?"

"No. I don't think, at least. Listen, do you have to leave in the next following days?"

"Nope. If I don't receive calls from my copartner I though to spend my next days with you! Why do you ask me that? Do you have something up in your mind?"

"Not properly..." Prentiss has started to say while some anxiety made its way inside her "...it's just that tomorrow night we organized a dinner with members of my team and I was wondering if you want to come. My colleagues are keen to meet you..."

"I dunno, I'm afraid to feel uncomfortable in the midst of all of you agents"

"We will not talk about work, but if we begin to do so, you can talk with Kevin, Garcia's boyfriend, he is not exactly an Agent as us"

"We can't just stay home? We haven't seen each other that much, I want to take advantage of these moments before I'm off again...or before you go away again"

"I'm sorry, I already told them that I'll go. It isn't anything special, I'm not submitting you to my mother"

"Yeah, but you always say there like your family and, considering what little you've said about your mother, maybe I would be more comfortable with going to your mothers" Andrew answered

"Okay, no problem, I don't wanna to force you if you don't want. I'm sorry to go out while you are at home..."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll go back mine and put in order and-you know what? I changed mine, I'll come with you tomorrow night. But you should know that I'm doing it for you only!"

"Aww, you are so sweet" Emily said giving him a heartfelt thank you kiss "You'll see that you will not regret it, they are all very nice"

"Good to know! Tell me only one thing, why they really want to know me?"

"Why? Because I've talk about you..so there just curious"

"I'm happy that you talk about me and I can't wait to meet your colleagues. But now, time to go to bed"

"It's early to go to sleep..." Emily argued

"Who said anything about sleeping?" Andrew clarified, dragging Prentiss in her bedroom.

The following evening.

The dinner was fabolous and everyone had a great time. The group came out from the restaurant to discuss how continue the night. The ladies were hand-in-hand with their boyfriends while the men were all singles, all except Hotch who brought Beth.

Emily's colleagues were happy to have finally met her boyfriend, a charming and pleasant man, phisically pretty similar to Morgan: tall and muscled while, in other respects, the two men were completely different.

The only one who hasn't changed his mind about Andrew was just Morgan, rather, now that Derek has met Andrew, he liked him even less...

"So..." an half-drunk Garcia took over the situation "...we do something else all together or we conclude the evening?"

"I would love to stay, but Andrew has to be up early tomorrow, so we're gonna head home"

"If you wanna stay, i'll take you home, no problem, really" Morgan looked at them both, but, before Emily could consider his offer, Andrew answered for her, without taking into account her wishes: "Thanks, but as she said, I'll take her home"

Morgan's instinct suggested to him to kick Andrew's butt but reason prevailed so he tryed to open his mouth to respond in kind to its provocation but Rossi, with a soft elbow into his ribs, made him realize that this wasn't the time or the place for that. Sure thing was that Morgan momentarily dropped the subject, promising himself that next time would not have been so kind, even if that meant make a bad impression in front of Emily.

So the team decided to end their night and everyone came back to their own car. The only one who postponed his return home was Morgan, he prefered take a walk to push through his anger. After just a few steps, Derek heard footsteps behind him so he turned to discover who was following him and he found himself almost face-to-face with David Rossi.

"So, what's wrong with you tonight?" the older man enquired

"Nothing, everything is alright"

"Sure, and I am Richard Gere!" the Italian agent humored "Come on Morgan, don't try to fool me..."

"If you already figured everything out what I supposed to say?"

"What you feel inside. Vented, you will feel better...and then I have a theory to prove..."

"Okay, it's about Emily's boyfriend..."

"As I thought, it's all about Prentiss"

"What do you mean?" asked Morgan not fully understanding his exclamation

"Please, Morgan, ask questions as smart as you are! Everyone has noticed the the relationship between you and Prentiss which goes beyond of the simple friendship. I think the only ones who haven't noticed it yet are...well, the two of you! It's certainly for this reason that no one of you two can't settle down with a stable and lasting relationship"

"Rossi, where the 'don't do a profile to each other' rule is?"

"Making a profile consists in closely observing and studying the people behaviour, instead it catches the eye easily without being a profiler! So, tell me, what is not convincing you about Prentiss' boyfriend?"

"I don't know how to explain myself, is the set of most things that makes impossible for me to tolerate that guy..."

"Well, just in case you don't know that, this is jealousy!"

"No, I'm not jealous"

"Oh, yeah Morgan, you are! Believe me."

"Ok, whatever you want, but don't tell me that he didn't seem strange..."

"Well, yes, but maybe he was only embarrassed..."

"I don't think so, it's seems like he wanted hide something. And then, what were all those question about our job?"

"Just curiosity?" Rossi hypothesized

"This kind of curiosity would be justified for someone who you have just met not for someone who date with a profiler..."

"Maybe he doesn't want do a bad impression with Prentiss or maybe he doesn't want annoy her with his questions"

"And you date someone for how long? About 2 or 3 months and he doesn't ask anything about your job, especially if it isn't very common like ours? Please man..."

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." quoted Rossi

"And what has that got to do now?"

"It describes perfectly the situation. By the way, are you going to do something?"

"I want to get to the bottom of this story, I wanna discover who is really Andrew..."

"Morgan, I am no one to tell you what you have or don't have to do but I can recommend you only one thing: pay attention, with Prentiss I mean"

"Why? I do it for her own good, I don't wanna see her tearful with the broken heart, I just...I can't!"

"Okay, you're adult, do what you want, what you feel is right and take your responsibilities but let me tell you a couple of things: first of all, if you really wanna do this, you should talk with Prentiss first, it don't make her happy if you act behind her but if you don't wanna do this don't talk with her until you will be absolutely certain of what you discovered. Anyhow, will not please her know that you invaded her privacy."

"Got it. What about the second thing?"

"Last but not least, if you really love someone you should be happy to see her happy...I know, it's difficult but I speak from experience"

"I'm happy to see her smiling...but it bothers me that-"

"That the one who makes her happy aren't you, right?" Rossi concluded his sentence

"Yeah" Morgan admitted with some reluctance

"Good. Now it's getting late. Go home and sleep, tomorrow it will seem more clear" the senior agent ended preparing to return to his own car "Goodnight Morgan"

"Goodnight. And...thanks man" Morgan said a little less angry, getting a gesture in response from his colleague.

M&P

"What did you say your colleague's name is, the one sitting next to you? Derwin?" Andrew asked Emily

"Nope, Derek, Derek Morgan" she corrected him

"Anyway, he is an asshole and I don't like him!"

"He is not an jerk at all!" Emily said, taking the side of her colleague "And then, why you don't like him, if I may ask?"

"I told you, he is a jerk. You can understand it from how he talks, from how he behaves"

"You too, however, could be nicer before"

"Excuse me? I can't accept that you take the defense of a stranger rather than your boyfriend's" Andrew answered angry

"I'm not taking anyone's defenses and, by the way, I know him longer than I know you, so he isn't exactly a stranger...I meant that you could answer him differently" Emily said with all the intention to avoid the discussion

"So is it my fault?"

"Again? I told you that I will not blame anyone. Listen, if you want to argue let me out here and I'll walk home"

"Stop it. I'll take you home, we are almost there"

The couple spent the last minutes of the trip in silence.

When they were in front of Emily's condo, Andrew pulled up and, first to greet her, added: "When you going to apologize, call me"

"You are kidding, aren't you?" Emily asked shocked

"No, I'm very serious! I think that you owe me an apology so, when your ready, call me" Andrew reiterated, bending down to kiss her goodnight, but Emily undid her seatbelt and got out.

That night, despite the fatigue, with all their thoughts, the rest wasn't very pleased for Morgan and Prentiss.

* * *

><p><em>To be continued...<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the lovely reviews...my self-esteem is still in a fangirling mood! ;D_

_Hope you will like this chapter!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter2:<strong>

When Morgan and Prentiss left their own houses the following morning, they still were in a bad mood, those few minutes of sleep they had were not served to alleviate their concerns or their nervousness.

When they arrived at the Bureau in Quantico, they both immersed themselves in paperwork, in hope to push away their thoughts at least at work. But, while Prentiss, as usual, managed to turn off the part of the brain where resided all those sentiments which could interfere with her performance at work, Morgan wasn't so good in partitioning so he decided to go to one of the few people who could always put him in a good mood.

"Hey baby girl!" he said entering in computer technician's office

"Good morning hot stuff! Is something up with you? What you did wrong yesterday?"

"Why everyone keep saying that yesterday I had something wrong?"

"Because it was pretty obvious, minnow! So, do you wanna tell divine Penelope what is bothering you? It's about Emily's boyfriend, isn't it?"

"What the..." Morgan expressed, he hasn't ever realized to be so transparent

"What? Did you really think you could hide something from me? I've never studied 'Profiling' but your behaviour last night was very evident, you could noticed it from how you looked at him, if you had the power to incinerate him with a glance, they were picking him up with broom and dustpan still now! So, talk to me, tell me everything I wanna and I have to know!"

"Mama, there is nothing to tell. Merely I don't like that guy, there isn't a law which requires me that I have to like everyone or I am wrong?"

"Well, probably no one taught you that in profiling classes so I'll tell you: the cause of all this is the jealousy"

"What is that fixation for the jealousy that everyone have?" Morgan said pissed

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, please pretend that I haven't said anything. You should stop attending the profilers" he joked shortly before returning seriously to ask her something meaningful "Listen carefully, I have to tell you something important...well, more than talk I have a question to ask you. How would you feel if a friend of yours invaded your privacy only for your own good?"

"Explain yourself better..." Garcia invited him in a fit of curiosity

"Ok, let's say for example, hypothetically speaking, let's pretend that I don't like Kevin. What you would think if, for example, just for talking, I used my job like Federal Agent to discover something about Kevin? For example..." Derek added again, feigning to have no intention to investigate on Andrew

"Oh no, my charming prince, I've understood what you wanna do and I don't I might let you! You can't inquire into Emily's boyfriend behind her. Do not think about how badly she would feel? Sure, in your mind you would do that for her own good, but believe me if I told you she wouldn't see it that way. You are one of the few people she trust in, please, don't hurt her!".

That words hit him like a train on a track, Garcia was perfectly right, what was he thinking of investigating Andrew? Has he thought to discover some shocking secret about his life so that Emily could break up with him and start dating him? Well, one of the reasons was also that and he would have lied to himself if he had not admitted it too himself, but it was the truth, if Derek had actually been looking for something about Andrew, he would have behaved like a selfish idiot who didn't take into account Emily's feelings and when he told her he would get the opposite effect: Emily would be withdrawn from him.

But this could not relieve the bad feeling he had in his stomach that Morgan felt, something in Andrew didn't convince him and that wasn't for the jealousy!

He felt bad for what he had thought but he had to be honest with Prentiss, she deserved it, she had to know why he could never endure Andrew and if he wanted to have Emily in his life, he wouldn't play a battle with dirty rules, he would do it like a real man to impress the woman of his life.

"Thanks Garcia, you have been very helpful! Now forgive me, I have to do one thing..." Morgan said

"You're welcome...but don't do nothing stupid!" Penelope answered but he couldn't hear, he already closed the door.

When he left Garcia's office, almost collided with Prentiss who was looking for him. After that both they apologized to each other and a little awkward moment, Emily was the first one to break the silence:

"May I talk to you for a minute, please?"

"Sure, come into my office. I was looking for you too. Emily, is everything alright?" Derek asked letting her into his job place and closing the door

"Yes...no...I dunno, maybe"

"What's up? Problems in Heaven?" Morgan said not even realizing that he has thought it "Sorry, I didn't mean to. Tell me, you need something?"

"Nope. I just wanted to apologize for Andrew's behaviour last night. I dunno why he behaved in that way, he didn't need to answer you like he did, so badly. And about me, I wanted to thank you for your proposal last night even if it did go down like it did." Emily said slightly embarrassed

"Thanks Emily, but you don't need to apologize, I'm not angry" he wanted to add "At least, not with you!" but then he desist from his intention

"No, instead I had to do it. I didn't want you to think something bad about me...or Andrew, he is a good guy"

"Think something bad about you? Never, I could never do it!" Derek explained

"Ok, good. I hope that about it everything is fixed"

"Sure!" Morgan calmed her

"Great! I was so worried that you were angry with me..." Emily admitted "What about you? What you wanted to tell me?" the woman asked, noting the change of expression on Derek's face, she could easily see his nervousness

"Emily, do you know how much I care about you, don't you? You know that you're one of my best friends, right?"

"Yes. And so do I but I don't understand the reason of this premise"

"You will. I only ask you the huge favor to let me speak and don't get angry. Got it?"

"Yep, got it!"

"Good. So, I really care about you and the last thing that I want is see you suffer. Okay, now I wanna show you the enormous respect I feel for you being completely honest: I don't like Andrew, he seems false to me. I've known a lot of people like him and I wouldn't that you let yourself be fooled by people like him. That's all"

"I'm sorry, would you mind repeating?" Prentiss asked visibly upset

"I don't like Andrew: nothing more, nothing less"

"I'm sorry, by what authority you tell me that Andrew is not the right guy for me? I cannot believe it... I finally find a good and serious guy who really cares about me, I introduce him to you all, and you know how hard to do that with the public and priavate, in the belief that you all are happy for me and you come and tell me this?" Prentiss almost yelled angry

"Emily, I'm telling you this because you're important to me, to all of us. And then I asked you not to get angry..."

"Yeah, but I didn't know what would you have said to me. Morgan do me a favor, next time you decide to be interested in others' affairs, think it twice before you do anything!"

The discussion was interrupted by Garcia who informed them of the presence of a new case.

Before Emily could leave Derek's office to join the rest of the team, the man said:

"Wait, let me explain myself..."

"We don't have time, did you hear Garcia, we got case. If I want to hear your pathetic excuses, I'll do when we concluded the case" Prentiss said cold and bitter going away from him, who followed her soon after cursing himself.

In the meeting room, every Agent sat around the round table, hearing Garcia to present the happening:

"We have been called by Little Rock PD, Arkansas, where Marcia Dowdy, Gertrude Flynn and Claudia Hamrick were, in the order, raped, stalked and robbed several times and, in the end, killed within a few months between an offender and the other. The bastard responsible is always the same but we don't have nothing to catch him, during the rape he used a condom. I hate when they are so good." Garcia said

"No one is good enough for us!" Reid calmed her getting a look of thanks from the technical analyst

"Did the victims have something in common?" JJ questioned

"No, they practically don't have nothing in common but being woman who they live in the same city..." Garcia began to speak when she was interrupted by Doctor Reid's statistics

"Statistically, people have more in common than you think, in fact -" but even him was interrupted, by Hotch, who said:

"Reid, we will have time later for your statistics. Garcia, go ahead"

"Thanks Sir. Good, I was about to say that I haven't found nothing in common between victims yet. Marcia Dowdy was married with the lawyer Archie Dowdy, housewife, 40; when she don't spent her time at home or with the husband she go out with her friends. Gertrude Flynn, 21, University student, she didn't have the same Mrs. Dowdy's economic fortunes, she had two jobs to support herself. Meanwhile Claudia Hamrick had just moved from Lubbock, Texas, with her son and fiancè to work in a big insurance company. As you have surely noticed there are not even physical similarities but keep searching for other points in common."

"Perfect Garcia. As soon as you will find new informations, call us"

"As usual!"

"For the others, wheels up in 30" Hotch said before leaving the room; Rossi, Reid, Prentiss and JJ imitated him.

When also Morgan was about to leave the room, was stopped by Garcia who asked him:

"What have you done with Emily?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Derek, please, don't lie to me! Let's try again: what have you done with Emily?"

"Penelope, I promise you, I haven't done nothing that I can't repair! Now excuse me, I have a plane to catch. I'll see you when I'll come back"

"Deal. But try to fix the situation...and try not to mix other shit".

Having retrieved his to-go-bag from his office, Derek went in the bullpen.

Waiting for the car that would take them to the airport, Derek sat on Reid's desk with the excuse to keep company with him when, indeed, he was more curious to know who was calling Prentiss and the argument of the conversation.

For the third time, Emily, tried to call Andrew, whose cellular ringing always vacuum.

She hoped that the justification was his work commitments and not because he was angry at her, although she had still not clear the reason why.

Prentiss was still immersed in her thoughts when she heard Andrew's voice on the other side of the instrument:

"_Hello?_"

"Hey Andrew, it's me, it's Emily"

"_Finally ready for your apologies?_"

"Sorry, what? Never mind...I called you just to warn you that I'm leaving for work, I'll see you when I'll come back...if you will be at home..."

"_Where you going this time?_"

"Arkansas"

"_Oh, Arkansas...r-really? Where in Arkansas? What is it about? Is it a difficult case?_"

"You know that I can't talk about an open case. But what are all these questions?"

"_Nothing, I'm just curious! Well, you do a good job! I think that I'll miss you..._"

"Me too! And thanks. Bye" Emily said ending the phone call.

Soon after, the team was on the jet, where they went through the case and Reid was very happy to talk about his statistics, directed to Little Rock, ready to face a new case, with the same hope to solve it before to have other victims.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading! ;))<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you a lot for the previous lovely reviews! :)_  
><em>Hope you will like the new chapter!<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter3:<strong>

When they arrived at Little Rock Police Station, the team immediately met Captain Brandon Harville, responsible for the investigation, who gave to the BAU the latest details and informed them about what work has been done until their arrival.

They were in the middle of the meeting when Hotch's phone rang: evidently Garcia had found new information which could help them with victimology.

"Garcia, you're on speaker. Did you find anything in common between the victims?"

"_Hmm...not really sir..._"

"What do you mean baby-girl?"

"_I mean that I found another five women with something in common with our victims...and with 'something in common' I intend the end that the poor ladies have done..._"

"Five more victims? How is it possible, we didn't know it..." Captain Harville asked

"_I don't know who belonged to the last voice I heard but Little Rock PD was not reasonably have known it because these cases weren't happened in Arkansas..._"

"They didn't happen in Arkansas?" Prentiss repeated not sure to have fully understood

"Exactly. Three victims were found in Georgia, to Dalton. I already contacted the local responsible of investigation, Detective Roy Hart, he said that every help to solve the case is welcome"

"What about the other two victims?"

"Well, for the other two victims we have to do a different discourse because they are the only two women with something in common: a man. The case is in Mississippi, Grenada for the precision, where Lieutenant Antoinette Cady arrested Jeremy Banck, first victim's ex boyfriend, Ruby Dudek, and second victim's boyfriend, Jo Reinhold, when she was killed 5 months ago. However, my sweet peas, I haven't found anything which could connect him with the other murders, especially because, apparently, Jeremy Banck has never left the State. Oh, even for Grenada PD every help is more than welcome...by the way, if you check your tablet I already sent everything to you, including timeline and maps. If, for the moment, my work here is ended...over and out"

"Yes, Garcia. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome! As soon I'll find something else you'll be the first to know...at least, the first after me" Garcia said before hanging up.

"Agree. How we approach the case with the new information?" Rossi enquired

"The communication between the police is already difficult with neighboring counties, let alone between three different States..." Reid pointed out the obvious

"It is precisely why we must separate our works..." Hotch said getting doubters looks from his colleagues "...a pair of Agents in each State. JJ and I stay here, Reid and Rossi will move to Georgia, whereas Prentiss and Morgan will handle with the case in Mississippi"

"Such a lucky girl!" Prentiss muttered between her teeth

"Morgan, for the two of you it's a problem drive unto Grenada? It's a long drive, it's 4 hours away..."

"Sure, it's alright...we can alternate driving" Morgan answerd looking at Prentiss who don't return his gaze

"Is it ok with you, Prentiss?" Hotch asked

"Uhmm...yeah, yes, it's okay" she replied, not very sure about her own words

"It's decided, then. Rossi and Reid will use the jet, you have to call to know when you can leave. Well go to the hotel to take your stuff. Morgan and Prentiss, for you two should leave as soon as possible so you can arrive before dark. Oh...and, guys, I recommend, constant contact. That's all, let me know when you have reached your destination" Hotch asserted dismissing his colleagues.

After four hours of travel Morgan and Prentiss arrived at destination. Four hours which have seemed almost a decade: the use of words has been reduced to a minimum and the tension in that car could have been cut with a knife.

Once or twice Morgan has also tried to explain himself, to apologize for their conversation in the morning, but everytime Prentiss cut him out.

Derek was happy to enter the police station, even if they almost didn't know yet where to begin to solve the case, at least for work they had to talk to each other and, maybe, dissolve the tension between them.

After meeting Lieutenant Antoinette Cady, who gave them the dossier, the two Agents entered the room adjacent to where the interrogations took place.

"So, what we are gonna do?" Morgan asked "What about the old method of the good Agent and the evil one?"

"Old school? I like it!" Prentiss answered, giving him a smile that he had not seen for several hours and that he missed terribly, although it only lasted a few seconds, it changed Morgan's day

"Ladies first, which one you choose?" Morgan demanded the brunette profiler

"Well, as long as I'm a woman like the victims I choose the bad cop. It's this ok with you?"

"Ok. And I'll pretend to empathize. Ready to start?"

"Let's go" Prentiss said entering in the interrogation room

"Jeremy Banck? I'm Agent Prentiss and he is Agent Morgan, FBI"

"FBI? Wait, this is an error because I'm innocent" the guy sat in the room said visibly frightened

"Don't worry Jeremy, we do believe you...at least I do, you have to convince my colleague. Have they said your rights?"

"Yes, they did, but I don't need a lawyer, because I had nothing to do with this story"

"C'mon Banck..." Prentiss continued"...do you really expect us to believe you? Ruby Dudek broke up with you, you went back to her a few days later to try reconciliation but, when you saw she wasn't the same opinion, you raped her. Then, in the following weeks, you started stalking her and come into his house to rob her. When that wasn't enough anymore, you killed her. And you did the same when thing started to go in a bad way with Jo Reinhold"

"No, I would never have done that! Yeah, it's true, Ruby has broke up with me but she was totally right, I betrayed her, I betrayed her trust..." hearing those words, Derek sent an apologetic look towards Emily "...and about Jo...ok, we were having problems, but which couple doesn't?" this time was Prentiss' turn to send a clear look at Morgan, immediately before resuming her speech:

"Okay, If you didn't do it, you've got to help us make the guilty because the only thing that the victims had in common is...well, you"

"Wait, this isn't true! There's a certain Lloyd I-don't-remember-what...maybe Harrison or something like that, he is an Jo's old classmate, and I saw him talk with Ruby once".

At the sound of that name, Emily's blood freeze momentarily. "_No, it's impossible..._" she thought "_...cannot be him_".

Her strange behavior didn't pass unnoticed by Derek who, however, continued with the interrogatory:

"Alright, let's do one thing, let's forget for awhile the murders and let's talk about of robberies, it was taken away something important? Something of value?"

"For what I know, they stole a Ruby's necklace that had been donated by her sister...I cannot describe it in detail, there's a pendant and it's..." Jeremy looked around as if searching the words until his gaze fell on what Emily had around her neck "...here, it was similar to yours..." to Emily seemed as if they had removed all the air from the room "...and then, they took away from Jo a bracelet with the inscription 'you and me', it was a present from me".

That, for Prentiss, was really too much. Without say a word, she left the interrogation room to go into the next room, where she was only minutes before, when the biggest problem seemed to fight with Morgan. The dark Agent, after apologizing with Jeremy Banck, followed his colleague.

"Emily, what's up?" he immediately asked concerned

"It's Andrew! I can't believe, it was too good to be true..." Prentiss sputtered upset

"What do you mean with 'it's Andrew'? Emily, talk to me"

"The UNSUB is Andrew"

"Emily, what are you talking about?"

"Derek, which part of 'Andrew is the UNSUB' you don't understand?" she requested

"Ok, I got that. I meant, how do you say this?"

"Good. Therefore, first of all the States where the cases happened are the same where Andrew goes...and the dates coincide..."

"It could be a coincidence..." Morgan interrupted her

"Please Derek, even you don't believe in what you just said. It cannot be a coincidence...once maybe, twice it's hard even if not entirely impossible but three times? For all the victims?"

"Ok, you could be right. But you can't base your theories only on this..."

"Second proof: Lloyd Harrison is Andrew's partner as well as his best friend; third proof: the necklace and the bracelet. Do you need the fourth one? What you said about him!"

"Hey, Emily, wait a moment, I only said that he didn't look like a sincere person..."

"Well, this seems an excellent demonstration of 'insincere person' or I'm wrong?"

"Listen up, what do you say if we asked Garcia to check? But I don't believe that she will find something" he concluded lying shamelessly

"Okay" she agreed meanwhile Derek dialed the technical analyzer's phone number.

After a couple of rings, the eccentric woman answered the phone:

"_Ask me everything, sexy Federal Agents_"

"Garcia, you should do a check on Andrew" Emily spoke even before Derek could think what to say

"_Alright, but I don't understand why..._"

"We suspect that Andrew is our UNSUB" Emily said, increasingly determined to uncover the truth

"_No, no way..._"

"Garcia, please, stop -" Prentiss began to say angry before that Morgan stopped her.

The man, placing his hand on her shoulder, calmed her anger and then he continued the discourse with Garcia:

"Baby-girl, please, we have a serial killer to put under arrest: If Emily wants tell you something, she will do it when the investigation will be over. Now, get to work!"

"_Yep, I do it now! Hang on..._" Garcia said moving her hands on the keyboard, after few seconds "_Oh, that's strange...there's nothing_"

"What I told you?" Morgan said to Prentiss

"_Nope, not that kind of 'nothing'...there's nothing in the true sense of the word. I've only found a website, patently false by the way, on his activity. Other than that, nothing, it's like he doesn't exist_"

These words were like a boulder falls on Emily.

"W-what..." she stammered confused as soon as Derek ended the phone call.

"Emily..." the man said sweetly "...do you know that we we must warn Hotch, don't you?"

"Derek, I wanna solve this case like any other, don't matter if Andrew...well, turned out to be a huge son of a bitch! Now we need to release Jeremy Banck, he is innocent"

"Alright. But...are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure in my life!"

"In that case, you talk to Lieutenant Cady and I'll call Hotch".

Immediately after that Emily left the room, Derek released a sigh of anger and sadness. Since he has discovered the existence of Andrew in Emily's life, he had secretly hoped in the conclusion of their relationship but, that he never desired, was that Emily should have been to suffer the consequences, he didn't want to see her suffer.

After being back in 'super-professional-SSA-Morgan' mode, Derek called the unit chief:

"_Hotchner?_"

"Hotch..." Morgan didn't know how to start the conversation "...it's Andrew"

"_It's Andrew what? The only Andrew that we know it's Emily's date_"

"Exact. The UNSUB is Emily's boyfriend, Andrew...and Andrew it's not his real name. We have the proofs"

"_What Prentiss said?_"

"She said that she wanna close this case like all other ones"

"_That's good. And how is she?_"

"Hotch, you know her! Outwardly, she says that all is well but inside she's falling to pieces...or is about to do so"

"_Agree. Listen, it's late and it was a long day. It's better that now we all go to sleep. Call for any news._"

"Got it, Hotch. Bye"

M&P

Few hours later, Morgan was lying on the bed in his hotel room, trying to momentarily erase the events of the day from his mind to get some sleep, when someone has knocked on his door.

When he opened the door, he faced an embarrassed Prentiss with red eyes, clear indication that she had cried. For him was so weird see her so fragile and vulnerable, she that had always been like a rock.

"Hey, can't sleep huh? Me neither" Morgan said in a desperate attempt to make her feel more comfortable "Anyway, do you need something?"

"Uhmm..." she just didn't know how to ask that to him "...I know that I don't deserve it but...may you hold me for a while? I need to know that there's still someone I can trust on..."

"Don't be silly!"

"I knew it, I asked too much. I'll come back in my room, good-"

"Come here!" he said closing her in a close embrace which stopped her words "And then, you deserve a lot more than that!". Still holding her, tight, letting her come into the room, closing the door behind them with a slight kick. "Do you wanna to lie down for awhile? You need some rest..."

"Morgan..."

"Emily, you really, really need to sleep. But I will not give you the wrong impression, I'll sleep on the armchair."

"It isn't what I meant...are you sure that I'll not bother you?"

"Not at all. Wait here, I'll be right back".

A couple of minutes later, Derek emerged from the bathroom wearing a tank top which showed his perfect shape and a pair of sweatpants. The bathroom dim light allowed him to note that Emily was already lying on the bed but the darkness in the room prevented him out if he was already asleep.

As soon as she saw her colleague, she asked him, making it clear to him that she was still awake:

"Do you go to bed always in that way?"

"Uhmm...generally I go to bed with nothing on but my boxers, but it doesn't seem appropriate tonight..." he answered joined the woman under the covers.

As soon as he hugged her, as she had asked him shortly before, he felt her body tense for a short time to find, almost immediately after, a bit of peace when she leaned her head on his chest.

Despite the strong relationship of friendship and respect that binds the two profilers, there was still a bit of tension mixed with embarrassment between them. Morgan always dreamed a situation like that, but the reality had disappointed him, he shouldn't and couldn't enjoy this moment of complicity at the expense of the happiness of Emily. She, at the same time, was spending all her energies to not cry, she hated Andrew but she hated herself most for allowing him to transform the strong and independent Emily Prentiss in a woman looking for affection and security.

Derek, lied on his back with with Emily in his arms, caressing her back to calm her, was totally lost in imaginary world in his head, he was imagining to live that situation in other circumstances, more joyful...he was so immersed in his fantasies that he not even heard the protagonist of these thoughts talk:

"Uhmm...w-what?" he asked coming back to reality

"I said that you heart is beating very fast"

"This is the effect that you make to me..."

Emily, mentally, thanked the darkness that surrounded them which and that prevented Derek to see her blush.

"How could I be so stupid?" Emily suddenly questioned

"Hey, hey, no! Why you say so? It isn't true..."

"C'mon Derek, I can understand that you're trying to comfort me but you can't deny the truth, I was a stupid, I got fooled. How could I? I'm paid to notice the behaviour to understand if someone is lying and I got fooled by one like Andrew..."

"Okay. Em, everyone were fooled by Andrew, after the last night dinner none had suspicions on him, no one!"

"No one but you..." Prentiss corrected him

"Yeah, no one but me, but on this point the whole thing is kinda different...the point is that we have heard a lot of stories like this. How many wives, girlfriends or UNSUB's relatives we have talked with and they didn't ever suspect anything, even for years?"

"But no one was a profiler! The truth is that I'm doing a job in which I suck!" Prentiss said bitterly "I cannot even understand how can you be so kind to me, after how I have treated you..."

Derek, softly, put a finger under her chin, raising her head so she could know that, despite the darkness, he was watching her in the eyes while he said:

"It's about you, it's always about you! I go halfway around the world through the center of the earth if you ask me to do that. See you with another man hurt me, but see you so sad for a asshole like Andrew is killing me. The truth is that I care about you, more than anything else in the world and not as a mere friend or colleague, more than that...a lot more actually!".

Emily was deeply touched by his words, no man had ever said or done to understand these things, not even Andrew. She realized that the words, in that moment, were unnecessary so she poured them in one only and simple action: she stretched her neck and put her lips to Derek's ones, she didn't need to see where they were, her lips were attracted by his like the iron is attracted by the magnet.

Derek couldn't explain the feeling that sent that kiss not even in a billion of years, but he had not even wanted that Emily take refuge in what he hoped would become a relationship, to escape from her disappointments. With a huge effort, he broke the kiss and said:

"Emily, don't think that is not the thing that I wanted to do more in the last years but I don't want that you -"

"Derek, I haven't kissed you to run away from the disappointment of my relationship with Andrew...or whatever his name is actually..." she said, practically reading his mind, confirming her abilities like profiler "...I kissed you because seemed to me the truest response to what you said me, hoping that you haven't said that only to comfort me...". The next thing that Emily felt were Derek's lips on hers, like confirmation that what he just said came from his heart and not from his brain. The kiss was going deeper and deeper until one thing that Derek said few before came in Emily's mind, so she moved away slightly and asked him:

"Excuse me, what do you meant before when you said 'don't think that is not the thing that I wanted to do more in the last years'?"

"Uhm...nothing..." the man, said trying to pick up where they left off to not answer to her question

"Oh no, you will never get out of this room until I'll get an answer" she threatened him, returning the smile on her face, even if he couldn't see it he felt like her smile could light up the room

"I could start to value that option for real..."

"Derek!" she chided him playfully

"Okay, okay, I'm talking! They are years that my feelings for you are going well beyond friendship but I've never found the courage to tell you so, because I know that you think that I'm a little serious guy with the women, but it's only because I've never find the right one...until I met you! It sounds quite trivial..."

"No, absolutely no. Until it's the truth it's not banal..." she said moved "...but, Derek...how long has this been going?"

"From the case in Kansas city...case more, case less...why? Do you never noticed that?" Derek felt Emily shaking her head "Oh...so you were right, you are a really bad profiler" he joked, receiving another slap on his abs which made him change his mind "Ok, I'm sorry, I was just kidding"

"Well, I must conclude that either you are a good profiler, or you would have noticed before my feelings for you..."

"Oh, so you would have feelings for me, huh?" he asked rhetorically

"Stop it, you've heard me".

As long as he had wanted to extend that time, Morgan was perfectly conscious that both needed some sleep, it was been a long day, especially for Prentiss, so he was forced to break their third kiss in that night and hear Emily's protests.

"No, no, Em, we need to sleep, you need to sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day. Now, close you beautiful eyes, I'm here, right next to you".

Few seconds later that she closed her eyes, Emily added:

"Derek, thank you, for everything!"

"I've already told you, always" he answered putting a sweet kiss on the top of her head.

When Emily woke up, the following morning, she found herself in the same position where she had fallen asleep a few hours before, in Derek's arms.

Despite he wasn't in a comfortable position, he had not moved a millimeter and she knew the reason, she knew the he hadn't moved for fear she would wake up, or for fear she wouldn't find him in there, but what that Prentiss knew even more was that, for the first time in her life, she felt very protected and loved by someone, the same someone that she looked for in other relationships.

"Good morning princess!" he said as soon as he noticed that she was awake "Did you get some sleep?"

"Pretty much"

For Emily, fell asleep, wasn't easy. Although she had done all her best to minimize her movements to not bother Derek, but mostly to not make him regret his decision to console her, was difficult to relax, too many thoughts were in her mind but, when finally she found some peace, also thank to Morgan and his sweetness, the dreams have come easily...the good ones.

"Emily.." he began to speak again "...did you mind if I get up for a couple of minutes?"

"Uhmm, no...why are you ask me that?"

"Because it's about half an hour that I should...well, you know...go to the bathroom and I didn't want wake up you" he explained his self while he was going toilet

"Derek, you're an adult, there was no need to ask permission"

"Yeah, but I didn't want that you woke up and you couldn't find me there" Derek answered, in confirmation of her previous conjectures.

"Derek, can you come and sit next to me, for a moment? Please?" Emily invited him as soon as he left the bathroom

"Sure, baby. What's up?" he asked, sitting on the bed and caressing smoothly her hair

"I wanted to talk seriously about a couple of things. Ok, so..." she took a deep breath "...first of all, I really believe in what I said last night, and so you do, but the first thing that I want and I have to do is to close all this shit with Andrew. And then I wanna actively contribute to the arrest of that bastard. I wanna look him in the eyes in the moment in which someone handcuffs him, and I'd like that that someone is you. I know, it's a strange request, but -"

"Could you stop talking for a moment, please?"

"W-why?"

"So that I can do this!" the man said closing the space between them.

It wasn't the first time that they kissed but Derek couldn't help but thinking "_About time..._".

Unfortunately the fate wasn't on their side, in fact few after they were interrupted by the annoying sound of Morgan's cell:

"Who has this bad timing?" he complained against her lips, stretching to pick up his phone. "Hotch" he whispered after reading the ID caller

"_Morning Morgan. How is Prentiss?_" the unit chief asked on the other end of the phone

"Fine, she's fine. She's here now, is just arrived..." he winked "...I put you on speaker, so she can tell you"

"Yep, Hotch. I'm fine, thanks" she said immediately after that Morgan pressed the speakerphone's button

"_Prentiss, if you want be exempted from the case I can understand, you only have to ask_"

"No, Hotch, I will continue to be part of it"

"_Right. In that case I want you both here as soon as possible. Also Reid and Rossi are on their way_"

"Got it" they said in unison ending the phone call.

After Emily was dressed in the room that had been assigned to her, she came back with her go-bag in Derek's room, ready to go back in Arkansas. In the moment in which she entered the room, Morgan emerged from the bathroom shirtless making Prentiss blushing.

"Finally you saw it!" he joked to not make her feel embarrassed

"Saw what?"

"Me without my shirt. Don't think that I have not noticed you practically bare me with your eyes..."

"Derek..." she approached him sensual "...they are so many years that I'm doing this job and you should know by now...I see dead bodies every day, they don't make more impact on me"

"Ouch..." he said bringing his hands to his chest with pained face "...you've just killed my ego"

"Oh, poor kid! Allow me to apologize" she enounced giving him a soft but lovely kiss.

Retrieved all their belongings from the room, the couple began the return trip in an atmosphere much more favorable and relaxing, testimony that all their tensions were resolved.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading! :))<em>


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

After more than four hours of travel, the two profilers finally arrived in Little Rock.

"Morgan, Prentiss. Just in time, we started now to talk about how to close the case." Hotchner put them aware when they entered in the police station

"Hotch, may I..." Morgan asked permission to speak

"Sure"

"Good..." the dark Federal resumed the conversation where he had stopped "...because Prentiss and I we have a plan...well, actually it is she who has done everything but the point is that it is a good idea!"

"Uhmm, to tell the truth it isn't exactly a plan...I know I have no right to ask that, but I need a little favor. I promise that it will be the last privilege which I'll ask you for ages and -" Prentiss tried to say while anxiety prevented her to explain herself in the best way

"Em!" Emily heard Derek's voice. It was impressive how he could always bring her back to the calm.

"Anyway, this plan has great possibilities to work...and it will!" Morgan explained for his colleague

"What do you mean? Explain yourself better..."

"Alright..." Prentiss took a deep breath "...the most important things for Andrew are freedom and his reputation so I thought to get him to lose them both at the same time. I want to arrest him in a public place, I could invite him like it was a date and then arrest him..."

"Are you sure that it will work?"

"100% sure"

"Okay then, if you are so sure, let's do it" the unit chief accepted "I must warn Captain Harville about our decisions because was the one who called us. Meanwhile, could you call Andrew Baltazar? I'd like to close this case as soon as possible"

"Don't talk me about that..." Prentiss let out "...I call him immediately".

Straightaway, the every team member went to deal with each of their tasks. Prentiss, after leaving the room, retracing her steps and she walked over to Morgan to tell him:

"Uhmm, Derek...may I ask you another favor?"

"Sure, just ask!"

"You think I'm too pathetic if you ask you some moral support while I'm calling Andrew?"

"Are you kidding? Absolutely not. How many times I've to repeat you that I'm here for you, huh?"

In a small room in the Little Rock police station, Prentiss pressed the button 'call' after finding Andrew's number in the phonebook of her mobile. Waiting for him to answer, him, what she now considered him like her ex-boyfriend, Emily moved her hands nervously to release a bit of the tension within her. Derek so he decided to calm her taking her hand in his, trying to transmitted her, through that small gesture, all his support.

"Hello?" Andrew answered

"Hey Andrew. It's me, i-it's Emily!" she spoke, agitated like she was doing it for the first time

"Finally ready to apologize?"

As soon as she heard those words, suddenly increased the grip on Morgan's hand, who motioned her to calm down.

"Sure..." she replied back "...I called you for this reason! I'm so sorry for what I said the other night and I want to prove you that...when come you back? We could dining out..."

"Listen, if my plans go in the way I planned them, I should be able to return tonight"

"Perfect. So, what about having a dinner tonight, me and you?"

"Tonight? Okay. But what do you have? I feel you a bit strange..."

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just been a hard case"

"The one in Arkansas, right? Have you arrested the culprit?"

"Yep. The case is practically solved, an agent is talking to the killer right now and we should leave in about a hour"

"Good, I'm happy..." Andrew expressed, all traces of tension was definitely gone "...so, tell me: what we are gonna do tonight?"

"I'm pretty tired and I guess so are you, so I thought about a simple dinner in a restaurant. To 'Ben's House' at 7pm?"

"Confirmed. I'll see you tonight then. Bye dear"

"Bye" Prentiss ended the phone call.

"Hey, you okay?" Morgan enquired. Were now 5 minutes that she was staring helplessly at her mobile phone screen"

"Wh- oh, yeh, yeah, everything's alright!" she lied

"Emily..." he perfectly knew that it was a lie, so decided to give her a second chance

"It's only that I still can explain how I couldn't noticing that he was rubbing me..." she admitted.

Despite were passed several minutes from the call, Emily still was very tense, especially at the thought of what awaited her in a few hours. She relaxed only when she felt Derek's arms around her shoulders. Momentarily forgetting where they were, she leaned her head against his shoulder to fully enjoy the moment. When they both realized that this wasn't the right place neither for these simple behaviour, they broke apart, but not before that Emily gave him a chaste kiss on his lips. Soon after, the two agents came back to the team to brief them on developments.

"Good..." Hotch spoke, concluding the last meeting in Arkansas "...on the plan we will review everything for the last time. Wheels up in 20"

M&P

"Come, come in" Emily said letting Derek in her house after he had insisted on accompanying her at home.

She deposited her bag and ran upstairs to change her clothes.

"Derek, do you see the flowers on my table?" she yelled from her room

"The roses? Yes, why?"

"Could you throw them away, please?"

"Em, they still are beautiful, you can keep them"

"Andrew gave me them, as a gift" Prentiss explained appearing at the bedroom door, just in time to see her colleague who, without make her repeat what she said twice, took the bunch of roses and threw it in the trash

"Anyway, he doesn't know that when you give flowers to a woman, the roses must be an odd number? My mother always said that..." Morgan justified himself looking the curious look on Emily's face.

The silence that had settled at the end of the conversation was interrupted by the ringing of Morgan's cell phone.

"It's Garcia" he yelled to inform his colleague before answer "Tell me everything mama!"

"_I have two news for you teddy bear: the first one is that I finally found Andrew Baltazar's real name: Gabriel Wilburn; and the second one is that has just been made a complaint of theft to Dalton police_"

"What was stolen?"

"_Primarily, it has been ransacked the whole house. The only thing of value was stolen from Elsie Montoya is a necklace with the letter 'E' that had been donated by her parents for graduation_"

"Thanks baby-girl. I'll inform Prentiss immediately"

"_You're welcome hot-stuff and, I recommend you, watch out at our beautiful brunette, I'd like to see again my friend in one piece!_"

"Sure, I will".

After Morgan hung up, his attention was captured by the sound of heels on the stairs. As soon as he looked up, he was petrified by the beauty of his partner. He realized he was holding his breath when he tried to speak and found himself out of breath.

"Wow! Em, you look...wow, you take my breath away! But it hurts knowing that you dress like this for Andrew..." Derek confessed jealous

"No, I'm dressed like this to arrest Andrew, it's different. And then I can go in a nightgown or a police uniform, or I am wrong?" she asked rhetorically "By the way, what did Garcia say?"

"Oh, yeah, right..." the man came back in the real life "...she found Andrew's real name, it's Gabriel Wilburn, and then they reported a burglary in Dalton, where was stolen a necklace with a pendant in the shape of 'E'"

"Do you wanna bet that tonight Andrew...I mean Gabriel, will give me an identical necklace?"

"I don't have big possibilities to win but ok, I'm in. A dinner?"

"Deal!" Prentiss agreed, closing the front door.

In the condo's garage, the couple met Emily's neighbours, Messrs. Grooms.

"Good evening, miss Prentiss. Ready for a gallant night? This must be your boyfriend. Bryan Grooms, nice to meet you"

"Derek Morgan, my pleasure" the Federal said, clutching elder's hand before Mrs. Grooms interrupted them:

"Bryan, darling, let them be. Let them go out in peace" than, facing Prentiss, the old woman mouthed "Compliments!" which caused Emily's laugh.

When the profilers get into the car, they still could hear the aged couple tenderly bickering in the distance.

"They are so cute!" Morgan said amused

"Yeah. Bryan and Heather Grooms, they are together by a lifetime. Sometimes you hear them arguing but they still love each other" she told him grudgingly

"Listen to me. Before leaving I'd like to tell you a couple of things: if tonight you had to feel uncomfortable or anything, just a word and I come to get you out. Okay?"

"Are you turned in 'Superhero' modality?"

"Okay?" he repeated

"Yeah, okay! And the second thing?"

"Promise me you'll be careful, you'll do anything not to put yourself in danger!" Derek expressed already worried "When all this crap will be done, I want to bring you in a date and I don't wanna wait that you will feel better if he will hurt you...also because I could no longer be responsible for my actions if he were to even think of touching you!"

Emily was deeply touched by his words. If only one of them had had more courage before, them would not have found in that situation. But that wasn't the moment of regrets, it was the moment of actions, so Prentiss stretched out her hand, put it on his cheek and pulled him in an intense and loving kiss. When the kiss ended she whispered against his lips:

"I promise you"

Arrived at the restaurant 'Ben's House', Prentiss entered in the building to solve her issues, personal and professional, while Morgan joined Rossi in a back room.

It had been several minutes delay when finally Andrew arrived and, at the same time, criticism and complaints began from Derek who was watching and listening everything:

"No one has told him that ladies don't have to wait for a man?" causing a slight laugh from Rossi.

Meanwhile, in the dining room, Emily and Andrew were talking quietly, like any other pair around them. Andrew just didn't know that some of the other couples were composed of police officers.

"So, tell me everything, how was the case? You said that you have arrested the murderer, right?" Andrew sought assurances.

Morgan, from his position, just mumbled a "This son of a bitch did not even complimented for how she is dressed...on what planet live this asshole?"

"The case went good..." the brunette profiler answered "...it was quite hard but nothing more than the ordinary"

"Great! I felt that everything would be alright, so..." he said looking for something inside his jacket, meantime Prentiss instinctively reached for her purse wher her gun was in "...so I bought you that!"

Not surprisingly, when Emily opened the box that Andrew handed to her, she found the same necklace described in the complaint filed by Elsie Montoya, another confirms that the one sitting in front of her was the UnSub that the BAU was looking for.

"Thank you, it's very beautiful. But, explain me something, to buy me all these things, what is your job?"

"I already told you, I am a manager"

"Yeah, I understood that. What I would like to know is what do you do exactly?"

"Well, you now, this is a secret. If I tell you then I should kill you..." he joked trying to make Prentiss laugh who, it, was very serious

"Exactly, like you did with those poor girls in Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia? Am I wrong Andrew...or maybe I should say Gabriel, Gabriel Wilburn?"

"W-w-what?"

"What? Do you really believe that we wouldn't have ever discovered that? Huh?"

"Ok, look, it's not like you think...cannot we pretend that nothing ever happened? Think about it, in these months we have been great, we could not going on in this way?"

"Do you realize what you're asking me?"

"You can't arrest me...I didn't do that...and then you do not have any proof!"

"Oh, you're so wrong on this point! We do have enough proof. Plus, you just gave me another one. So...Gabriel Wilburn, you're under arrest" Prentiss said getting up to put the handcuffs.

As soon as Andrew sensed her intentions, he stood up in turn, took his gun and pointed it against Emily causing the immediate intervention of all the Agents present: all the cops, included Rossi and Morgan, surrounded the man to make him understand that he did not escape while the pale Federal continued with negotiation.

"C'mon Andrew, if you have been really good with me as you've said, prove me that handing me your gun and I'll put a good word for you"

"Do you believe that you would have really had any chance with me if I hadn't known that you work in the field of law, seriously? Please, c'mon, I thought you were an intelligent person! I used you only to know when you were close to my arrest, but do you ever said anything about your job? No, always so quiet and now we are in this situation! If only I had a few more time...you'd been so in love that you would pass on all this"

"Andrew, this is my job, I can't forget the justice for someone! And then, do you truly think to have this power on people?"

"Take the example of that loser of Lloyd, he would never even had a chance to speak with a woman, to have his first experience with a girl, if I hadn't ushered him in my project..."

"First experience with a woman?" she asked nauseated from these words "We are talking about rape and murder, it's not an innocent love! Where is he, where is Lloyd Harrison now?"

"You'll never know...but you will hear about him soon, I teached him how continue my work" Andrew answered proudly

"Just explain me one more thing: why did you do that? Why you choose that poor women?"

"Why are you so fixed with the motives? There must always be a reason for everything? Why you have chosen this dress and not another one? Because you like it, that's all! Now it's my turn to ask you a question: could you explicate me why I have not fired you yet?"

"I dunno that, but I know for sure that all the guns are on you, as soon as you will pull that trigger you will be hit by a hail of bullets and I know that you don't want that, so do the right thing, give me that gun and I promise you'll get a discount of the penalty. Deal?"

Andrew thought for a moment, after which he lowered the gun in surrender; when Emily was closer he said, looking her in the eyes:

"No way!"

It seems a typical scene from a movie, one of those where everyone seems to move in slow motion.

Meantime Andrew raised his gun again, Emily's brain suggested to protect herself but strangely no part of her body seemed to react. Just when she thought that everything would be over, felt someone tugging on her arm, and that someone was Morgan who put himself in front of her to protect her.

Derek's finger moved on the trigger and fired.

All around her moved so slowly that, for a moment, she thought that she could see the bullet.

She returned in the real time space when she heard a cry of pain coming from Andrew, wounded in the leg, who, with anger mixed with astonishment, inquired:

"Why you didn't kill me now that you finally had the opportunity? I know that you wanted to do it, I read it on your face"

"It would be too easy for you! And then, I want that you to spend the rest of your days in a cell with the knowledge that you had lost the best thing that ever happened to you"

"Freedom? What a banal phrase..."

"Actually, I was referring to Emily!" Derek corrected him like it was the most natural thing to say at that juncture.

Leaving the restaurant, Morgan took another little revenge. He approached a paramedic and whispered:

"That man is a drug addict who is detoxing so, please, make every effort to avoid the use of painkillers. Thank you"

Emily couldn't help but smiling at his little childish joke...after all, that was a revenge for her too.

M&P

When the case was definitely over, when all the profilers put their signature on the report to hand over to Strauss, the couple of Federals returned to Emily's place.

When they entered the house, the first thing that Prentiss did, when she closed the door, was to give a profoundly kiss to Morgan. She was really very grateful for everything he had done in those days, for being on her side that she would never be able to express it in words...and even if she had been able, the words seemed false to express how she really felt.

"So, finally do you will have some well-deserved rest?" Morgan inquired when the kiss terminated because of their need for air,but not letting Emily go out of his arms "No offense Em, but you really look like someone who need some sleep..."

"So do you! Do you wanna get some rest together?" the woman requested biting her lower lip, afraid of have asked too much.

When he stroked her hair, the certainty of having exaggerated with her question took root inside her mind so she quickly to speak:

"Derek, I...I...what I said last night...i-it...I really meant it..." she tried to express herself, but realized of not knowing exactly what to say "...I ruined everything, didn't I?"

"Nope, sweetheart, absolutely not! I was just thinking..."

"Thinking about what?"

"About how stupid I was, if I had the courage to let you know how I felt about you before, you would never have been hurt by Andrew and I would have you in my life long ago. Please, forgive me!"

"You don't have anything to be forgiven for. It was my fault as well...and then I'm here, we are here now..."

"...the most important thing is not waste more time! Right?" the man concluded the sentence for her

"Right" she replied trying to stifle a yawn

"Okay, what about not waste more time starting by tomorrow? Now it's bed time".

Morgan was guided by Prentiss to her bedroom where the two of them had their first night of peaceful sleep, knowing that the next day was the beginning of their history together, leaving the Andrew's "ghost" where it belongs: in the past, no one of them would allow this to ruin their relationship.

THE END_

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. Review if you want! ;))<strong>  
><strong>Hope you liked it...it seems to me that it sucks more than usual, but maybe it's because the season finale was soooo intense! ;D<strong>

**P.S: I don't own anything**


End file.
